


i'm not picky (ok maybe i am)

by lady-serendipity (JenZz)



Series: Jen's Officetober 2020 [10]
Category: Chinese Actor RPF, EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Anxiety, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Online Dating, but mostly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 05:15:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26966554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JenZz/pseuds/lady-serendipity
Summary: Baekhyun and Tao talk about online dating at work, and suddenly things get very real
Relationships: Huang Zi Tao | Z.Tao/Wu Yi Fan | Kris
Series: Jen's Officetober 2020 [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947871
Comments: 6
Kudos: 16





	i'm not picky (ok maybe i am)

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a true story, but the real thing is less interesting than what could have been.

Zitao is totally ready to date. He’s totally ready to settle down forever, at the tender age of 25.

“So…” Baekhyun eyes the way Zitao is hastily swiping on his phone. “You’re sure you’re ready?”

“Hm? Oh. I mean, I wouldn’t have this app on my phone if I wasn’t, right?” Deciding his finger can take a break, Zitao carefully puts his phone down on the breakroom table before stretching luxuriously. “Look at me, putting in all this effort.”

They’re hanging out in an unofficial breakroom. This one affords more privacy than the communal eating area, which has free offerings. The vending machines lined against the wall are scheduled to be removed at some point, to be replaced with a foosball machine and an indoor arcade basketball game. Zitao’s kind of new to the company, and clings to Baekhyun as his one lifeline. Childhood friends and all that.

“Yes, clearly so much effort,” Baekhyun drawls, “swiping left is truly difficult.” 

Scoffing in betrayal, Zitao smacks Baekhyun’s arm. “Kyungsoo is a terrible influence on you. You’re so much meaner now,” he whines. 

“Am not, I’m giving as good as you got when I was on the dating apps. If you can’t take it, then don’t give it,” Baekhyun rolls his eyes, rubbing at the spot Zitao hit him. Feeling guilty, Zitao draws Baekhyun into a hug.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hit you that hard. It’s just. Hard.” Zitao pokes Baekhyun on the cheek, and Baekhyun sticks a tongue out at him. “Besides, you had guys falling for you left and right. It was easy. You were the one who picked the hard-to-get one.” 

Baekhyun bites at Zitao’s finger and Zitao retreats, squealing in outrage. “Kyungsoo is a treasure. It’s not my fault it took me some time to convince him I too am a treasure.” Stealing Zitao’s phone, Baekhyun types in the passcode. 

“Hey, give that back!” Zitao cries, huffing when Baekhyun rebuffs him. “Don’t swiiiipe noooooo!”

In quick succession, Baekhyun swipes right on a million guys before Zitao successfully recovers his phone. “Before you do anything, at least chat with them. Judging by the first picture is kinda harsh.” Baekhyun tugs on Zitao’s cheek, and Zitao pouts at him. “Listen to your seniors. Alright, less dating and more working. Our lunch hour is up.”

Zitao sighs and decides to leave the app alone for now.

Hours later, Zitao eyes the ten matches he now has on Tinder. He feels exhausted already, after a long day of work. With all his newness, Zitao just wants to make a good impression. Trying to keep up and be eager all day long wears him thin, to say the least.

Yawning, he thinks back on Baekhyun’s advice. Maybe he has been a little harsh by swiping left at the first picture. He could at least say hi. What’s there to lose?

Crushing rejection and a broken heart. Zitao shakes his head. Or he could meet someone, and be just like Baekhyun and Kyungsoo. Disgustingly in love. It all starts here.

Taking a deep breath, Zitao sends out ten hellos. And waits.

He jumps when his phone buzzes. Out of the ten, three respond right away. One of them immediately sends a peach emoji, an eggplant emoji, and two finger gun emojis. Trying not to retch, Zitao immediately unmatches this Yixing.

He lasts a little longer with the next guy, Lu Han, until he looks closer at Lu Han’s profile. “5’10”?? He’s practically a midget!” Zitao yelps and unmatches him too. 

Finally Zitao opens the last one. Kris Wu. 

Tao: hey  
Kris: hey  
Kris: watcha up to  
Tao: nothing much  
Tao: I mean I’m on this app aren’t I?  
Kris: touche  
Kris: so what’s a cute guy like you into?

Tao feels himself blush like a schoolgirl and feels mortified. It’s just a simple fact of life, why is he getting flustered?

Kris: I see you like cpop  
Tao: I do  
Tao: I’m really into rap  
Kris: aw sweet, me too  
Kris: you watch Rap of China?  
Kris: not that, I’m assuming you watch it cuz you’re Chinese  
Tao: lol  
Tao: ya  
Kris: who’s your fave

The longer they talk, the more annoyed Zitao feels because he can’t find any immediate reasons to stop talking. He likes the opinions Kris has on the contestants, thinks his critiques are spot on. They eventually segue into where they’re from. Zitao quickly goes from laughing to thoughtful to flustered in turn.

Finally Zitao throws his phone across the room. “You can’t play with my emotions!” he declares, before diving for it. Hopefully he hadn’t cracked the phone screen while making his ultra important statement.

Ignoring Kris’s responses, Zitao takes a second look at Kris’s profile. Fuck. He can’t even find a reason here to dislike Kris. All of it is weirdly funny in that Kris way of his. The photos are kinda tacky and cheesy - the group smiling shot, the bathroom mirror selfie, and a picture of Ocean Beach. The description is downright lame, but it makes Zitao chuckle. Who calls himself a cool city man?

Reluctantly, Zitao does not unmatch Kris. But he refuses to respond again that day.

And the next day.

And the next.

Two weeks later, Zitao forgets about the app and stops opening it up. “You get along with any of the ones I forced you to match with?” Baekhyun tries to ask at lunch, and Zitao dodges the question like a politician asked about his latest scandal. 

“Speaking of matches, I bought some new ones for my favorite candles yesterday!” Zitao says. Okay, maybe he dodged the question like he was falling out of a moving vehicle. But none the matter. Baekhyun rolls his eyes and goes along with the new conversation thread.

Then Tao suddenly hears, “Cool city man? That’s a stupid description.”

He freezes. It can’t be. No.

“No it isn’t. It’s the most apt description I could think of. I’m cool, I live in the city, and I’m a man. What’s not to like?”

The newcomers had entered the breakroom behind Zitao. Zitao sees Baekhyun about to beckon to him, and quickly puts a finger over his mouth. Baekhyun looks at him weirdly, but stays silent. Eventually the other two leave after retrieving something from the vending machine.

Zitao lets out a breath he hadn’t known he had been holding, and melts onto the table. “Do you know their names?” he whispers, quite unnecessarily as they’re the only two in the breakroom now.

“That was Kris Wu and Chanyeol Park. I could’ve introduced you, they’re both really nice—”

“BaekhyunImatchedwithKrisWuandghostedhim.”

“You…” Baekhyun trails off as he processes what Zitao had said. Then Baekhyun bursts out laughing. Zitao pouts as Baekhyun laughs harder and harder, and then collapses on the floor.

“It’s not funny!! It’s an emergency!”

“Oh, oh my god,” Baekhyun wheezes on the ground. “I can’t. I can’t believe you matched with Kris Wu. Fuck. I should’ve set you guys up. Fuckkk that’s too funny.”

“Fuck you,” Zitao snaps, and stands up. Baekhyun grabs one of Zitao’s ankles, and Zitao tries to shake him off. “No, you are mean to me and do not give me the sympathy I deserve!”

“Okay, okay, sorry,” Baekhyun tries to take a deep breath, and then collapses in giggles again. “It’s too funny. Why’d you ghost him anyway?”

“I just. I didn’t want to talk to him any more,” Zitao huffs. Baekhyun immediately sobers up and sits down, pulling Zitao into his lap like an overgrown cat. 

“Oh, Taotao. Don’t cry. I’m sorry for laughing. Do you want to talk more? I didn’t realize you’re actually upset.”

Zitao opens his mouth to protest that he’s not crying, when he feels the wetness on his cheeks. Then he turns his face into Baekhyun’s chest. “I don’t know why I’m crying. I, I, I don’t know…”

“Shhh,” Baekhyun says, starting to rock them gently back and forth, as much as the hard plastic folded chair will allow him. After a few minutes, Baekhyun softly says, “You don’t have to date until you’re ready. Okay? I’m three years older than you. I just really wanted to find someone. You’re young. There’s nothing for you to catch up to.”

“I really thought I was ready,” Zitao sniffles. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. Now, Kris is in a different department from you, so you probably won’t be interacting. You want to make sure it’s the same guy?” 

Zitao nods, and pulling away from Baekhyun, wipes his eyes before handing his phone over to Baekhyun. Quietly, Baekhyun puts the phone down. “Wow. That really is him. Well. What’re you going to do?”

“Unmatch him and actively avoid him at all costs.” 

“Taotao.”

“Baekhyun.”

“Why don’t you at least talk to him?” Baekhyun fusses over Zitao’s hair, smoothing it out. “Get to know him as a friend.”

“And what, ignore the fact that I ghosted him?” Zitao sighs. “I’m gonna. I’m gonna delete the app.”

Baekhyun shrugs. “If he brings it up, then just tell him you deleted the app. You can’t really tell that kinda thing on dating apps. Plus, you don’t owe him anything.”

Zitao doesn’t delete the app. He goes back to work, and tries not to think about it.

He doesn’t delete the app that evening either. Instead, he falls asleep and dreams about Kris holding him.

Waking up, Zitao realizes there are tears in his eyes. What if he ruins his chance forever at love by turning his nose up at it now? What if he’s doomed forever?

“This downward spiral ends now!” he shouts, and runs into the shower. Screaming at the cold blast of water, Zitao’s head clears. He’ll be okay. It’s okay.

He’s gonna introduce himself to Kris today. And it’ll be fine. There’s a million Chinese boys named Tao.

Before he introduces himself though, Zitao looks Kris up on the work intraweb. Zitao is intrigued to find out Kris works on the mobile team. It’s… actually an area Zitao would be interested to work in one day.

Feeling brave, Zitao schedules a 1:1 meet and greet with Kris for tomorrow. He’s antsy all day, even though at lunch Baekhyun tries to reassure Zitao that Kris is really chill and they’ll get along. 

Zitao is anxious until 2:05 PM, until Kris rushes by his desk. “Hey, sorry I’m late, last meeting ran over. You still up for grabbing boba nearby?”

Kris is strikingly handsome in person. He’s taller than Zitao, just by a bit, and has strong eyebrows, stylishly coiffed black hair, and a gummy smile. “Yeah,” Zitao says, feeling a bit weak on the inside. “Yeah, let’s get boba.”

This might just work out.

**Author's Note:**

> So they actually get along quite well, and Tao is smitten. Tao gets some therapy and works through his commitment issues before asking Kris out. Turns out Kris was waiting for Tao to realize their chemistry, and wanted to wait until Tao was readyyy. Their friendship doesn't really change though when they start dating, and they end up getting married earlier than Baekhyun and Kyungsoo, which officially pisses off Baekhyun until Kyungsoo finally proposes too.
> 
> "I ghosted a guy on Tinder and found out he’s my coworker fuck" was the original prompt. this kinda ended up blowing up in my face though and I word vomited some slight angst. Wow. Hope you guys enjoyed though!


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